Vice City
'''Vice City '''is a fictional city in the Grand Theft Auto series and the main setting for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories in 1984 and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City in 1986. The city itself is based on 1980's Miami, which was a major cocaine trans-shipment point for South America around that time. City Information Vice City is made up of two large islands and three smaller islands. The city is surrounded by water similar to that of Biscayne Bay, which seperates Miami Beach with mainland Miami in real-life. The city is divided into 12 districts. The population of the city is believed to be around 1.8 million in 1986. The city has four hospitals, four police stations, and two fire stations. The hospitals and police stations serve as respawn points if the player gets wasted or busted. An air base, known as Fort Baxter Air Base, lies in the northern part of Escobar International. Unlike Liberty City and the state of San Andreas, Vice City has no railway or rapid transit systems as all islands are connected by road and bridge. However, the city has its own bus transit system. Vice Beach Districts Vice City Beach is the eastern island of Vice City. It is depicted as the more peaceful part of Vice City and is home to many upper class homes and businesses. The island has artificial waterways and is the location of the Leaf Links golf course. The North Point Mall is located in the northern area of the island in Vice Point. Vice City Beach is clearly based on Miami Beach. A lot of Vice City Beach's area is made up of beach. Vice City Beach consists of four large districts across the island. Ocean Beach Ocean Beach is an upper-class tourist district consisting of a few hgh-rise skyscrapers and many low rise hotels, directly based on South Beach and located in the southeastern most area of Vice City. The area is primarily occupied by seaside and beach side apartments, hotels and upper-class businesses. An Art Deco Historic District-like row of Art Deco and Modernist low rises are also present; the road stretched along the row mimics that of Ocean Drive, bearing much resemblance to their real life counterparts in architecture and layout, and includes a flora partition between the low rises and beach, similar to Lummus Park. The lighthouse located at the southeastern most point mimics the Cape Florida lighthouse, the oldest structure in Miami. Inland towards the west, Ocean Beach contains additional commercial and residential buildings, resembling southwestern Miami Beach, westward from Collins Avenue (in fact, the road in Vice City that separates the two sides of the Ocean Beach in the manner that Collins Avenue does to southern Ocean Beach, and would eventually run along several beach side apartment and condominiums in Vice Point, similar to northern Collins Avenue). The district boasts a marina called the Ocean Bay Marina, mimicking a large marina stretched along Alton Road in Ocean Beach and located at the west end of the district. The Ocean View Hospital is also situated on the northwest end of Ocean Beach. It's likely named for its locations affront the city bay. Two additional high-rise buildings located beside the hospital bear signage that claims that the tenants are the "Research and Development Department" of the "Ocean View Medical Foundation", suggesting that the buildings are related to the hospital. Several other features may be noted in Ocean Beach. A park mimicking South Pointe Park is located on the southern end of Ocean Beach, and includes a seaside building with similar architecture designs, and an additional helipad. An open-air mall called the Washington Mall is located at the northern end of Ocean Beach, possibly based on the Bal Harbor Shops mall at Bal Harbor. Tommy Vercetti's initial hangout in Vice City is in Ocean Beach, at the beachfront Ocean View Hotel. The Pole Position Club is also located near the south end of the district. Washington Beach Washington Beach is a district between Ocean Beach and Vice Point from the north, encompassing the northern end of the Art Deco Historic District-like beachfront district, its inland area, and the a smaller island to the west containing two construction sites and several additional apartments and housing. The area is based on the section of Miami beach unofficially known as "Mid-Beach". Washington Beach also contains a police station located at the northern edge of the district, as well as Ken Rosenburg's office at the southwestern edge. Washington Beach is also connected to Starfish Island by a short bridge between the Washington Beach island. The district is likely to be named after Washington Avenue, a major road in Miami Beach. Vice Point Vice Point is a more middle class and residential area of Vice City Beach, covering the remaining areas of the island at the north, and consisting of larger apartment buildings and hotels aligned along the shore as well as medium sized homes and smaller apartment complexes. This set-up resembles the rows of developments along Collins Avenue in Miami Beach, as well as the residential set-up of that city. Vice point is geographically based on North Beach in Miami. The North Point Mall is located on the north end of Vice Point, is a parody of Miami's Aventura Mall. Its location in the northeastern most point of the east island is similar to Aventura Mall's location in the extreme northeastern most point of the Miami Metro Area. The mall's layout, though much smaller, also resembles that of Aventura Mall. The Malibu Club is situated on southern Vice Point. A police station and a hospital is located further north. Leaf Links Leaf Links is made up of three islands located just west of Vice Point encompassing the Leaf Links Country Club, each island connected to another island with bridges. A road cuts through the middle of the island cluster, where the clubhouse-cum-entrance is located, requiring a pedestrian bridge to connect both half of the clusters. Golfers can be seen hanging around in and out of the course during the day. Caddy's are constantly seen in and around the club as a form of transportation, including on the open road surrounded by the club compound Vice City Mainland Vice City Mainland is Vice City's western island and considered to be the oldest part of the city. The majority of the island is depicted as a less glamorous area of the city but it includes the business district of Downtown located on the north end of the island. The western island houses much of the city's industrial population, as well as seaport and airport facilities at the south. Two sizable districts housing immigrant populations are located in the middle, with one of these districts depicted in a dilapidated state. The western island contains a wide four-lane road at its east side that stretches from the south end, at the seaports, to the north end, at the southern tip of Downtown. Vice City Mainland is the western is based on mainland Miami. Vice City Mainland consists of five districts across the island: Downtown Downtown mirrors Downtown Miami, where the areas sees the highest concentration of skyscrapers, both residential and commercial. Like its real-life counterpart, Downtown is believed to be a more formal, financial district of Vice City, with a number of large office buildings, including the city's tallest building, possibly based on the Wachovia Financial Center and the Bank of America Tower. The area also boasts the Hyman Memorial Stadium (which may be named after fictional gangster Hyman Roth, from the film The Godfather Part II), west of Downtown, serving as a staging area for events such as stock car races, demolition events and dirt shows. It is not known, however, if the stadium is used for any other sporting activities, although Vice City does feature at least one sports team (the Vice City Mambas American football team, which featured former tight-end BJ Smith). In addition, Downtown serves as the location for the local heavy metal radio station V-Rock and an enclosed recording studio, where lead singer for rock band Love Fist, Jezz Torrent, was seen recording a song. Other places of interest include the Electronics District, the Vice City News (VCN) headquarters, The Greasy Chopper biker bar, and a venue for a Love Fist concert, just south of the V-Rock radio station. An unnamed beach is also located west of Downtown, but it receives no visitors or attention, a stark contrast to Washington Beach in the Ocean Beach area. A police station, hospital and the city's only fire station is situated in the district. Little Havana Drawing from the real-life Little Havana in Miami, Vice City's Little Havana consists of a predominantly Spanish-speaking Cuban population. The area is controlled by the Cuban gang, led by Umberto Robina from his father's cafe, located in the southwest end of Little Havana. Due to Little Havana's proximity with Little Haiti, occasional fights and gun battles between Cuban and Haitians erupt in the two districts. A police station is located at the southeastern tip of Little Havana, as well as a hospital called "West Haven Community Healthcare Centre" at the east side of the district. The Cherry Popper Ice Cream Factory is also located within the vicinity. Little Haiti Also inspired by a real-life district in Miami, Little Haiti is predominantly inhabited by Haitian-Americans. It is home to the Haitians, a gang led by Auntie Poulet, from her small wooden shack among other shacks at center of Little Haiti. The gang's solvent factory, located at the west side of Little Haiti, was destroyed in a Cuban ambush, aided by Tommy Vercetti. Little Haiti is noted to be more run-down than Little Havana, with the presence of poorly maintained buildings, and low wealth businesses and smaller homes. A large printing press, which would be purchased by Tommy Vercetti later in the storyline is located on the border between Little Haiti and Little Havana. Phil Cassidy's home and weapons armory is located on the northwest end of Little Haiti. Kaufman Cabs, a local taxi cab company, located just a block down the road. Located within Little Haiti to the west is the Junkyard. The yard is located in it's own district with the same name. Escobar International Escobar International is a district located in south-western Vice City in the Vice City mainlands. The district borders Little Havana to the east, and Vice Port to the southeast. The district is mostly home to Vice City's airport and it's airbase Escobar International Airport is Vice City's main transportation by air. The airport is named after Pablo Escobar, an infamous Columbian drug lord. The airport consists of two terminals, one at the north which is basically a standard blocky terminal with the addition of below ground entrances, while the other in the south is more distinctive, with its weaved roof and roof-high windows facing the airport's southern airside. Both structures are separated by lawns and a car park, and it is unknown if the terminals are connected in any other way aside roads. Further north in the airport peninsula is the Fort Baxter Air Base, a military installation that houses military equipment and personnel. Viceport Southeast of Escobar International is Viceport, home of the city's seaport. Vice Port does not cater for cruise ships, unlike Miami Port which has operated a cruise ship terminal since 1968, focusing instead on solely cargo shipping. Islands Starfish Island Starfish Island is home to Vice City's rich and wealthy. Ricardo Diaz resided here and built his mansion on the island. The residents of the island are seen driving expensive sports cars, and SUV's. The island consists of twelve large mansions with well cut lawns, pools, spas, cars, etc. The Patrol Invest Group provide protection for most of the island and it's residents. The only place they don't provide protection is the Vercetti Estate, as the mansion has it's own gangs for protection (Diaz's Gang and the Vercetti Gang.) The island is based on Miami's Star Island. Prawn Island Prawn Island is another island located just north of Leaf Links. In 1984, the island was once like Starfish Island, consisting of three large mansions with pools and spas. It was home to the Mendez Brothers until their death. They resided in the mansion located at the northern tip of the island. In 1986, the island is now rundown, vandalized, and taken over by the Streetwannabes. All the businesses on the island, except the film studio, are now closed down and boarded up. Prawn Island is most likely based on Fisher Island, Florida. Weather Vice City's weather is mostly consisted of tropical weather. Vice City recieves mostly sunny and rainy days. The city can have foggy and overcast skies with the use of cheats. Sports Teams The only know sports team in Vice City is the Vice City Mambas. Their only know player is BJ Smith, the old owner of Sunshine Autos. In Grand Theft Auto Advance, another player is mentioned; Jose Pimsoll, who is a quarter back for the Mambas in 2000. The Mambas are assumed to play at Hyman Memorial Stadium in Downtown, Vice City. The Mambas are mostly based of Miami's football team, the Miami Dolphins. Gang Control Vice City Beach is known not to be an active gang area. The only areas in Vice Beach that have gang activity at is around the North Point Mall in Vice Point, Prawn Island, somewhat Leaf Links, and Starfish Island. Gangs can also appear in Washington Beach and Ocean Beach if the player is doing a rampage. Vice City Mainlands is the most gang infested area in the entire city. Gangs are located in all of the mainlands districts. Little Havana and Little Haiti are known to be the most active because of the constant gang wars between the Haitians and Cubans. Shipwrecks There are two shipwrecks in Vice City. One is located north of Vice Point and one near a broken shack. The shipwreck near Vice Point also has a submarine near it. The wrecks arn't solid so the player will go right through them. Beta There were lots of differences in the beta version of the game. Some of these wern't just the city, but also the pedestrians to. The beta map of Vice City, seen at right, can be seen at Sunshine Autos. *The north part of the beach in Vice Beach didn't exist. *Fort Baxter Air Base was larger in the beta version. Fort Baxter also had its own runway and air traffic control tower. *The road in Downtown leading from the police station to the Ammu-Nation was absent. *Hyman Memorial Stadium didn't exist in the beta version. *The bridge connecting Leaf Links and Little Haiti also connected to Starfish Island. *Leaf Links was entirely connected to Vice Beach. *The lighthouse in Ocean Beach didn't exist. *Some roads in Litle Haiti didn't exist. *There were no shacks in the sea as well as rocks and other stuff that can be found in the game. *The Haitian gangster with the "RELAX" shirt had an ironed on picture of Uncle Sam's infamous "I want YOU for US Army" poster. *Gator Keys did exist, but were probably cut in early development, because they aren't seen on Beta Map, but not very early, because there is cut dialogue reffering to them. Category:Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Category:Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories Category:Locations in Vice City